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Interview with Wanna One |
Home > Designer Interviews > Wanna One |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Wanna One (WO) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Wanna One by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
WO: Design has lived with us since we were little girls. Choosing this profession was a natural process for both of us.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
WO: We are specialists in conceptualize unique branding universes. We have been working over 15 years in this sector. We love making 360º projects in which we always start with a sector audit and we check the trends so we can figure out and define the ideal positioning for the brand in the market, we create branding, image strategy and communication, digital and analogue supports… In conclusion, we take charge of every aspect of branding. A wrong action when it comes to branding produces a diversion from the programmed objectives. At first sight it might not seem important, but if the diversion continues, in a short time brand strategy can be completely lost. Brand consolidate is a day by day work. Every action is important. To strengthen them every detail counts, and we really care to help them in all the branding facets.
FS: What is "design" for you?
WO: Design is in everything. It makes life easier, nice and pretty.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
WO: Brands, Graphic design & Interiorism
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
WO: We love design in all its representations, and we couldn’t choose one of them. Choosing one would mean resign to too much talent. Nowadays, we are very lucky because we can access to design in a very simple way, and we are amazed by our society creative capacity.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
WO: A brand for a small local company. At that time it was our lifetime project. Since then, every single one of our projects has been our lifetime project… Every project coming to our studio makes us passionate, we work and fight for it as much as if it was our own business.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
WO: Material: Wood & Ceramic Platform: Instagram Technology: Internet
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
WO: All day long. Each moment can be The moment to be creative.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
WO: The concept is always guiding the design development. Then we focus on functionality and create positive emotions.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
WO: Passion. Happiness. Excitement.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
WO: Proud and happiness.
FS: What makes a design successful?
WO: Clarity and the simplicity of the concept.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
WO: First of all the concept (it’s coherent with the business and its corporate objectives), then the simplicity and the consistency of the design (it transmits correctly the company values and will) and finally the perfect execution (caring about details makes the difference).
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
WO: Help creating a more sustainable, functional and positive world.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
WO: Design world is becoming more collective and cooperative. Design is going to be gradually incorporated to administration councils, becoming a fundamental part of the decisions at a high level in the future.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
WO: We have never made an exhibition.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
WO: Everywhere: Internet, exhibitions, travels, TV series, casual chats with friends… Inspiration arrives at the most unexpected moments. Besides, we do look for sources of inspiration, we normally visit art fairs, design exhibitions, and we are always looking for new trends in our sector. We love being updated and open to new discoveries, research is a fundamental part of our job, and we really enjoy it.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
WO: Our style is clear, simple and always positive. We love to thrill people with our designs. We have an open mind, which we think is fundamental in design. When we start a new project we always investigate the sector, so we learn and experience what’s been done. Then we try to be original and innovative. There’s no point in making what others are doing, we have a personal style and we like to make a difference. That’s also why all our designs are so different from one another.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
WO: We live in Madrid and in Dénia. The capital city and the coast town, two completely different lifestyles, two visions, always with the same objective: create unique branding universes. Esther Mengual is Spanish and Cathy Figueiredo is French. Of course both cultures have an influence in our designs, our cultural heritage is part of us. The fact that we experience different kind of living in the same country every day makes a difference for us, because we always have two points of view for everything. Spain has been a very multicultural country in the past, and it’s becoming more and more global everyday. We see this as an advantage, because it definitely helps improving our designs, inspiring us every day.
FS: How do you work with companies?
WO: Our studio is always very close. We are direct and honest. Every project implies a lot of passion and rigour.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
WO: Of course you have to check their previous work, and get to know them, etc. But mostly we think you have to follow your intuition, trust your feelings when you have to decide if you have to work with someone.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
WO: We always start auditing the sector, we learn and check as much information as we can, to have a complete idea of where and how place our project. We start building the project from the basis and we have meetings with our clients during the process in order to show them the progress and to hear them out to optimize the strategic plans and design.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
WO: Piece of old furniture Favorite Things of Chen Karlsson Lamp Eames house bird Aitor Saraiba Sculpture Seletti Monkey lamp
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
WO: We start early at 8:00 a.m. connecting to Skype. Our job team is working from different locations, and that’s our way of working together and communicate all the time. Every day is different. We don’t have a fixed end time. At the Wanna One Studio routine doesn’t exist.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
WO: Follow your intuition, don’t stop looking for new things, and share your passion with others.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
WO: The most positive is having the opportunity of creating new worlds. It is thrilling and so rewarding.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
WO: Concept simplicity is key.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
WO: In our opinion, curiosity and being willing to learn new things, with no doubt.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
WO: Anything that helps us in a specific moment. We don’t work all the time with the same tools. We look for new tools every time we need something new, we try to improve all the time.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
WO: Time is infinite when your job is your passion ;)
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
WO: It depends on the object. There are no rules. Sometimes an “easier” object takes longer than another one, depends on the concept, the process, the materials, so many things.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
WO: What is your methodology when it comes to create new concepts?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
WO: Every project we have finished to this date has been important… All of them have enriched us and made us grow in a personal and professional way.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
WO: The projects in which we are completely absorbed: 360º projects.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
WO: We are now creating a Gastrohostel in the center of Madrid.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
WO: Our work team changes depending on the projects we are developing. We always work with the best freelances of every field to get fresh concepts, flexibility and top creativity. Although, for every project we work together, every one of us in their own speciality, but always in touch with everyone else.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
WO: The gastrohostel we are designing in the centre of Madrid. For the moment is the most important project the studio has been involved this year.
FS: How can people contact you?
WO: By phone at 00 34 619 345 549 o by mail hello@wannaone.com
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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